In 2015, the Policing Project gathered law enforcement leaders from across the country for a closed-door conference on Democratic Policing. Over the course of two remarkable days, participants discussed the importance of fostering more robust police-community engagement, the need for new and transparent rules, and policies with input from the communities they serve. The conclusion of the meeting was the creation of the Statement of Democratic Policing Principles:

I. There should be robust engagement between police departments and the communities they serve around the policies and priorities of policing.

II. When possible, policing practices should be guided by rules and policies that are adopted in advance of action, are transparent, and are formulated with input from the public.

III. Police departments should develop and use sound metrics of success that encompass all of the goals of policing, including community trust.